Smyrna times., 1887-08-24
UNLOADING A BANANA VESSEL.
A Motley Lot of JabberIng. PersDIrins
nnnln -(trnInn IL -.

motley Lot of Jabberlng, PersDirina
Dealers-Grades of Fruit.
Forty years ago scarcely a bunch OF
bananas came to New York bv vessel
Until ten years ago they were brought
here only in little briggs and schooners.
NOW they come in great ocean steamers
only. The larger quantity is received be-
tween May and September, but through
out the year the arrival of banana laden
steamers will average four each week. or
say 2OO per year. An average cargo is
SU,OOO punches, and the punches will each
average 200 separate pieces of fruit. But
mere was the Amicitia, from Baracoa.
OuDa, ana 2OO sweltering, half mad Italian
ana ''dagO" Cuban fruit buyers. An en-
tire cargo is disposed of as rapidly as it
eOmes out Of the hold. In the old times
Inree TO SIX days were required to unload
ntIIe schooner. Now great steamer
VIII ulscharge a cargo Of bananas in ten
Iours' Inc cons1gnee has notified every
uealer III the city, and they are nearly all
here, motley lot whose iabberino curs-
nlg ana perspiratiOn are something ter
rible indeed. They swarm over the
steamers deck and drive bargains as
though their very immortal souls de-
pended on the higgle haggNng over that
load, or that bunch, of bananas.
dangs OF from eight to sixteen men are
required at each hatch, and these fellows
VINO work in the hold in the most fearful
stehch ever Whitfield by human nose re-
CelNe 70 cents an hour. They are the
lowest species Of beings existing along the
docks. They possibly get two days' work
a week. That is enough They live ON
bananas, swill and garbage, sailor board
ing mousse rum, and lie along the burning
paVements of South and West streets i1
Sodden, open-mOuthed stupor, with less
manners and brains than swine. RELAYS
are formed from the hold, and the punches
tossed thence, one at time. being cau0bt
on lhelr way out by each man with hands
mar, palms upward and bowed fOrearms.
winch act as sort of pillOwing for the
fruit ~ 'io
Inc rapidity and safety of the move
nleht OF these lunches are marvellous.
At each hatch on deck are tallyman for
me vessel, and a tallyman who is also a
Selecter IOr the cOnsignee. The latter
Srlues the punches as they come flying
IrOm the hold with incredible swiftnoss
ana accuracy A few feet below OH the
dockS are scores of dealers wagons. and
according to the grade, a constant stream
oI punches flows into each In these they
are carried to the ''sweat rooms, of tbe
wholesalers, where they are hung much
IKE curing tobacco, andIkept at about no
degrees of heat night and day for from
three to- five days, when the punches.
winch were originally livid green. are
rlpened and transformed to the tempting
yellow clusters which lure us to the Stalls
OF Lorenzo the Magnificent's descendants
upon the streets.
The grades are simply "nrsts." s'sec-
ohds, 'culls" and "ripes." "Firsts',
are punches containing the most and
Hnest fruit. Seconds" are nil other
prime condition, marked table buncbes
'Culls, are the lowest grade fruit. and
rpes" comprise the overripe and partIv
decayed bananas. The ''culls'' are piled on
deck IN freckled, unsightly heaps, and
You Will have to wade ankle deem in
ripe" until they are sorted and corded.
Two tiers lengthwise, in old orange boxes
One-quarter of cargo possibly being In
inns condition. The price secured for
bananas by the vessel load is about Slip |
per bunch, and the retailer gets them at |
) 40. As the punches average 200 pieces
aach, any one can estimate the profits in
The street banana trade-Edgar L. Wake |
man In Globe-Democrat.